Lesson 3.2.1.2

3.2.1.2 Stable and unstable nuclei Quiz: AQA Physics, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

Lesson 3.2.1.2, Stable and unstable nuclei: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Physics (7408), Unit 2: Particles and radiation, written with Revision Ninja.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

Host this setFree Play

The 20 questions

  1. Approximately what range does the strong nuclear force act over?

    • about 3 nm
    • about 3 m
    • about 3 fm
    • about 3 pm

  2. What does the strong nuclear force become if two nucleons are closer than about 0.5 fm?

    • absent
    • repulsive
    • electrostatic
    • attractive and strongest

  3. What is an alpha particle?

    • A proton
    • A photon
    • An electron
    • A helium-4 nucleus

  4. In beta-minus decay, what does a neutron in the nucleus become?

    • A positron and a neutrino
    • A proton, an electron and an antineutrino
    • A helium nucleus
    • A proton only

  5. Why was the neutrino originally hypothesised in beta decay?

    • To explain the energies of alpha particles
    • To account for the missing electric charge
    • To account for conservation of energy in beta decay
    • To conserve momentum in alpha decay

  6. Which nuclide is produced by alpha decay of 226 88 Ra?

    • 226 86 Rn
    • 222 86 Rn
    • 222 90 Th
    • 224 86 Rn

  7. Which nuclide is produced by beta-minus decay of 14 6 C?

    • 14 5 B
    • 14 7 N
    • 13 6 C
    • 10 4 Be

  8. Which statement describes an unstable nucleus?

    • It never changes over time
    • It is held together by gravity
    • It has equal numbers of protons and neutrons only
    • It spontaneously emits radiation to become more stable

  9. What is the typical range of an alpha particle in air?

    • a few centimetres
    • a few micrometres
    • several kilometres
    • several metres

  10. In alpha decay of 226 88 Ra, by how much does nucleon number change?

    • decreases by 4
    • decreases by 1
    • decreases by 2
    • stays the same

  11. In beta-minus decay, how does the proton number of the nucleus change?

    • It increases by 1
    • It decreases by 1
    • It decreases by 2
    • It does not change

  12. Which particle is emitted along with the electron in beta-minus decay?

    • a proton
    • a positron
    • an electron antineutrino
    • a photon

  13. A nucleus undergoes an alpha decay followed by a beta-minus decay. What is the net change in nucleon number and proton number?

    • Nucleon number decreases by 4 and proton number decreases by 2
    • Nucleon number decreases by 2 and proton number is unchanged
    • Nucleon number decreases by 4 and proton number is unchanged
    • Nucleon number decreases by 4 and proton number decreases by 1

  14. Why does a nucleus stay bound despite the electrostatic repulsion between its protons?

    • Gravity between protons outweighs the electrostatic repulsion
    • Protons repel only at distances greater than 3 fm
    • Neutrons carry a negative charge that cancels the repulsion
    • The short-range strong attraction between nucleons exceeds the electrostatic repulsion

  15. What is the nuclide produced by beta-minus decay of 60 27 Co?

    • 60 27 Ni
    • 60 26 Fe
    • 60 28 Ni
    • 59 27 Co

  16. Why is the electron energy spectrum in beta-minus decay continuous rather than a single value?

    • Electrons are emitted with random charge
    • The strong force changes strength in each decay
    • The nucleus recoils with a different energy each time
    • The antineutrino shares the decay energy with the electron in varying proportions

  17. How many alpha and beta-minus decays transform 238 92 U into 206 82 Pb?

    • 8 alpha and 6 beta-minus
    • 4 alpha and 6 beta-minus
    • 8 alpha and 0 beta-minus
    • 6 alpha and 8 beta-minus

  18. What is the distance 3 fm expressed in metres?

    • 3 × 10^-9 m
    • 3 × 10^-15 m
    • 3 × 10^-12 m
    • 3 × 10^-18 m

  19. Which nuclide results from alpha decay of 212 83 Bi?

    • 212 81 Tl
    • 208 85 At
    • 208 81 Tl
    • 208 83 Bi

  20. Compared with the electromagnetic force, how does the strong nuclear force behave over distance?

    • It is much stronger but acts only over a very short range
    • It is equal in strength but acts over a longer range
    • It is weaker and acts over an infinite range
    • It is much stronger and acts over an infinite range

All AQA Physics quizzes